The Sebastianist cults in nineteenth-century Brazil involved manifestations of fanaticism and apocalyptic notions about the end of the world and the birth of a new era:
The distinguishing tenet of this [Sebastianist] sect is the belief that Don Sebastian, king of Portugal, who, in 1578, undertook an expedition against the Moors in Africa, and who, having been defeated, never returned, is still alive, and destined yet to make his re-appearance on earth… The Portuguese look for his appearance in Lisbon, but the Brazilians generally think it most likely that he will first revisit his own city, St. Sebastian.
It appears, however, that a reckless villain named João Antonio fixed upon a remote part of the province of Pernambuco, near Piancó, in the Comarca de Flores, for the appearance of the said Don Sebastian. The place designated was a dense forest, near which were known to be two acroceraunian [sic] caverns. This spot, the impostor said, was an enchanted kingdom, which was about to be disenchanted, whereupon Don Sebastian would immediately appear at the head of a great army, with glory, and with power to confer wealth and happiness upon all who should anticipate his coming by associating themselves with the said João Antonio.
As might be expected, he found followers, who, after a while, learned that the imaginary kingdom was to be disenchanted by having its soil sprinkled with the blood of one hundred innocent children! In default of a sufficient number of children, men and women were to be immolated, but in a few days they would all rise and become possessed of the riches of the world. The prophet appears to have lacked the courage necessary to carry out his bloody scheme, but he delegated power to an accomplice, named João Ferreira, who assumed the title of “His Holiness,” put a wreath of rushes on his head, and required the proselytes to kiss his toe, on pain of instant death. After other deeds too horrible to describe, he commenced the slaughter of human beings… In the course of two days he had thus, in cold blood, slain twenty-one adults and twenty children, when a brother of the prophet, becoming jealous of “His Holiness,” thrust him through and assumed his power.
Author’s Note:
By a strange coincidence, in March 1565, before the death of King Sebastian, Estácio de Sá founded the city of St. Sebastian of Rio de Janeiro, as a homage to the young prince. But from then on, and because of Sebastian’s sad destiny, different places claimed to be the place to which he would return.
Coaracy, Memórias da cidade do Rio de Janeiro, 371.
Source:
Schwarcz, Lilia Moritz., and John Gledson. “The Empire of Festivals and the Festivals of the Empire.” The Emperor's Beard: Dom Pedro II and the Tropical Monarchy of Brazil. Hill and Wang, 2004. 228-29. Print.
Original Source Listed:
Kidder, Sketches of Travel and Residence, 2:148-50.
Further Reading:
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